During Easter week, crucifixes are carried around the jail,...

MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 2003/04/01: During Easter week, crucifixes are carried around the jail, in a ritual hoped to bring the inmates good blessings. On Good Friday, 200 inmates performed self flagellation to repent their crimes and to bring luck back to their families and to themselves. The inmates had their backs cut with razor blades and then they walked to fourteen different stations within the jail compound. At each station they were beaten symbolically by fellow inmates. For this one day of the year, all the various gangs inside the jail call a truce. Manila City Jail was built for 800 prisoners by the Spanish in the mid-nineteenth century. Today, however, it holds over 4,500 inmates, making it extremely over-crowded. The last big riot was in 1999 when 7 people including a child died. Fights are still rampant. The biggest killer is tuberculosis, followed by asthma. In 2002 alone, over 50 inmates succumbed to these types of respiratory tract diseases. This harsh environment is made all the worse by the fact that all the inmates are yet to be convicted. They are awaiting trial; that wait can last anything from four to nine years due to a very slow judiciary court system. The jail is divided in two different dorms; the biggest part is taken by Metro Manila's four gangs, Bahalagang (fearless), Sputnik, Commando and Batang City Jail gang. Each gang has 400 to 800 members. (Photo by Gerhard Joren/LightRocket via Getty Images)
MANILA, PHILIPPINES - 2003/04/01: During Easter week, crucifixes are carried around the jail, in a ritual hoped to bring the inmates good blessings. On Good Friday, 200 inmates performed self flagellation to repent their crimes and to bring luck back to their families and to themselves. The inmates had their backs cut with razor blades and then they walked to fourteen different stations within the jail compound. At each station they were beaten symbolically by fellow inmates. For this one day of the year, all the various gangs inside the jail call a truce. Manila City Jail was built for 800 prisoners by the Spanish in the mid-nineteenth century. Today, however, it holds over 4,500 inmates, making it extremely over-crowded. The last big riot was in 1999 when 7 people including a child died. Fights are still rampant. The biggest killer is tuberculosis, followed by asthma. In 2002 alone, over 50 inmates succumbed to these types of respiratory tract diseases. This harsh environment is made all the worse by the fact that all the inmates are yet to be convicted. They are awaiting trial; that wait can last anything from four to nine years due to a very slow judiciary court system. The jail is divided in two different dorms; the biggest part is taken by Metro Manila's four gangs, Bahalagang (fearless), Sputnik, Commando and Batang City Jail gang. Each gang has 400 to 800 members. (Photo by Gerhard Joren/LightRocket via Getty Images)
During Easter week, crucifixes are carried around the jail,...
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Credit:
Gerhard Joren / Contributor
Editorial #:
452968898
Collection:
LightRocket
Date created:
01 April, 2003
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Release info:
Not released. More information
Source:
LightRocket
Object name:
gjo02230